Haunted House....and cleaning fees

[Greg Newell]

Corey,
    I think that maybe the time you took can't be charged for in full because it
took so long directly due to your inexperience. That's not your customers fault
and they shouldn't be penalized for it. I can't remember if it's ever taken me
more than an hour to clean any piano. Poll the other on this list or use Newton's
time guide available from the home office to determine a fair amount of time for
the work. Charge that multiple of your hourly rate and you now have a fair rate
for your efforts.
    Next time I suggest actually removing everything, fallboard, music desk,
action, keys etc., cleaning as you go and you won't need any fancy attachments.
Just a crevice tool works great for me. Sometimes the upholstery brush is helpful
too. Happy client building!

Greg



SimsPiano@AOL.COM wrote:

> This is my 1st post to this group.  I've been tuning for money for almost one
> year now and business is still slow.  But I love it and plan to continue
> since it's getting better.
>
> My question:  Today I went to tune and clean an extremely dirty Mason and
> Hamlin console.  The owner knew it was dirty and I said I may have to charge
> a little extra if I have to take the keys out to get all the dog hair and
> ashes and dust which are gunking up the keys and action.  Well this piano
> looked like a haunted house, with dusty, sooty, spider webs and a truckload
> of dirt and grime and dust, etc.  I vacuumed everwhere I could and used some
> little tiny attachments since I don't have an air compressor.   Shortening
> the story, it took me about 4 hours to get the piano clean enough for me to
> tune!  And this was really some sweaty nasty work.  (Thank God for my dust
> mask.)
>
> Do most of you charge an hourly rate for something like this based on your
> tuning fees (eg, where a tuning would be 2 hours of this rate)??
>
> Thanks a lot,
> Corey Sims
> RTP Chapter, North Carolina

--
Greg Newell
Greg's Piano Forté
12970 Harlon Ave.
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216-226-3791
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net